


The Kissing Booth

by possiblyhosie



Category: Legacies (TV 2018)
Genre: Comedy, Eventual Relationships, F/F, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Romantic Comedy, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-04
Updated: 2020-06-07
Packaged: 2021-03-04 00:53:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,845
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24504958
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/possiblyhosie/pseuds/possiblyhosie
Summary: ---based off the original netflix film, but hosie! :)Josie Saltzman finds herself face-to-face with her long-term crush when she signs up to run a kissing booth at the spring carnival. How will she tell her best friend Lizzie about her totally off-limit crush on her older sister, Hope Mikaelson-Forbes?
Relationships: Alaric Saltzman & Josie Saltzman, Caroline Forbes/Klaus Mikaelson, Hope Mikaelson & Klaus Mikaelson, Hope Mikaelson & Lizzie Saltzman, Hope Mikaelson/Josie Saltzman, Josie Saltzman & Lizzie Saltzman, Milton "MG" Greasley/Lizzie Saltzman, Penelope Park/Josie Saltzman
Comments: 10
Kudos: 99





	1. GERONIMOOO!

**Author's Note:**

> hey guys! this is my first fic ever so...take it easy on me lol. first two chapters will be relatively short but the rest onward will be longer.  
> Also the entirety of the story will be Josie’s point of view!
> 
> hope everyone enjoys :)

Chapter 1: GERONIMOOO!

  
  


The sound of babies wailing echoes through the pediatric wing of the Los Angeles Memorial Hospital.

"Dr.Weissler report to deliver. Dr.Weissler, report to delivery."

In a few minutes, two babies will be born. The cuter one is me, Josie Saltzman, and the smelly, less cute baby being born right next to me, is my best friend, Lizzie. 

Lizzie and I were born on the same day, same time, right here in Los Angeles, California. Our moms were BFFs before people even used the term, "BFF," so we were raised pretty much like twins and have been inseparable ever since.

Truthfully, I don't remember much pre-high-school, but what I do remember is that Lizzie and I always loved to dance! But before I jump right in, let me get you guys up to speed.

**Age 6**

The first Christmas I remember, I got a lousy barbie dance party, and Lizzie got a scooter. I broke my leg riding that very scooter, had Lizzie sign my cast, who then bought me ice cream as a make-up for me breaking my leg (years later, I found out that her mom forced her to, but I guess I'll let bygones be bygones). 

**Age 7**

Went as a cowgirl for Halloween, while Lizzie went as a surgeon. Learned how to ride a bike, learned how to swim, got protected by Lizzie's older sister Hope, who chased down some bullies who were harassing us. Figured out Hope's protection had "price," whatever that meant? (Lizzie was pushed in the pool, and Hope took my ice cream). 

"Not fair! I want my ice-cream back!" I pouted and stomped my foot sassily, but Hope pointed at me and laughed in response as she continued to devour MY ice cream right in front of me. Like, how dare she?

Watched Lizzie in her first fight (she lost), watched Hope in her first fight (she won), dressed as a fireman for Halloween while Lizzie dressed as some weird species of bird?

"Cockadoodle dooo!" she shouted at the top of her lungs. I still remember clutching my stomach in pain from laughing so hard that day.

**Age 9**

Found out that my mom was sick. 

Went to visit her in the hospital for the first time. 

Tried to get used to seeing her there.

**Age 10**

Got in a huge fight with Lizzie about who's the better dancer, made up with her by buying her ice-cream. Got in a fight with Hope for beating up Lizzie.

"You can't just push people around just because you feel like it!" My voice roared with anger, but I couldn't help it after seeing Lizzie sobbing quietly, hiding behind me. Hope shot me a glare, blew a raspberry at me and stormed off.

Apologized to Hope by letting her fix my bike, as I watched in silent adoration.

She is  _ sooo handy _ …if you...  _ know what I mean _ ...

(please don't tell Lizzie I said that!)

**Age 12**

Got my first bra! (didn't really need it...). Discovered I liked singing! Discovered a real way for Lizzie and I to get to our favorite place to dance!

The song roared through the speakers as Lizzie and I did our routine dance choreography.

_ ♪ Looking for Love in all the wrong places ♪ _

_ ♪ No fine girls just ugly faces ♪ _

_ ♪ Says she wanna dance to a different groove ♪  _

_ ♪ Now you know what to do G, bust a move ♪  _

Hope was chatting with her older friends and ignoring us (as usual), but I swear to God that sometimes I felt her stare burning the back of my head. But every time I looked back, she was looking somewhere else. Was it just in my head? 

Yeah, pretty sure it was in my head and I'm just a wacko.

**Age 13**

Discovered that I wasn't gonna be a fashion icon…Discovered I'm actually really good at singing! (and playing ukulele too!)

Had a really tough conversation with dad.

Sat with mom in the hospital.

Held her hand a really long time.

Tried to help her put make-up on (but I really wasn't much help).

"Mascara doesn't go on your eyebrows, Jo-Jo!" Her warm laughter filled the room. I laughed with her, too, but a gnawing feeling at the back of my throat was persistent.

_ Don't cry, don't cry, don't cry… _

"Hey...Jo-Jo bear," she held my face and looked into my eyes, clearly sensing my distress, "You know I love you, right?"

"Of course, mom." I half-smiled, with tears so close to breaking the surface, but I pushed down those feelings again. I had to be strong for my mom.

**Age 14**

Tried to score my first kiss with Landon Kirby... Wasn't exactly a love connection.

"ACHOOO!" His snot covered every inch of my face right before we kissed, and Lizzie, to this day, still teases me about it.

Watched Hope get really,  _ really _ cute. Watched Hope in yet another fight (she won). 

Got my period! FINALLY! Went as a pirate for Halloween, Lizzie went as a black swan (so a less weird species of bird this time?).

**Age 15**

Said goodbye to my mom.

Had a lot to say.

Told her all about Hope.

Watched Hope ride her motorcycle for the first time, watched Lizzie make a very unsuccessful attempt to ride Hope's motorcycle, then, watched Hope teach Lizzie a lesson for riding her motorcycle.

"Hey...Hey! Put me down!" She struggled against Hope's  _ very firm _ arms as she threw her into a random lake, leaving Lizzie screaming the whole way down.

**Age 16**

Celebrated with Lizzie when she got her dream car! (a red “Chevrolet Camaro Convertible," but Lizzie calls it "my baby") Oh right, did I mention their family is totally loaded?

Discovered I liked girls, guys, and well, everything in between. Had my first crush on a girl (Penelope Park). Learned that girls can be really mean when they reject you.

“I can’t believe that loser would ever think she has a chance with me,” Penelope said to her friends, laughing as if I couldn’t hear them (I sat right behind them in that class, by the way).

Had seven minutes in heaven with Maya Sinclair. Unfortunately, I was so nervous I bumped into her head when I leaned in to kiss her, and as a result, both of us walked around with apple-sized bumps on our heads for a week..She still hates me to this day.

Got a bra I actually needed! 

Wondered why I've never been kissed yet, or even on a date….It's no big dea!l…I guess.

Realized I had a huge crush on Hope. Got over my huge crush on Hope….I think.

And….yeah, I think that's about it...right? Yeah! That's basically it.

_ ♪ It's gonna be a good night ♪ _

  
  


\-------

So, back to modern day-times, it was a sunny day, and Lizzie was having a ‘spledidiful tanning session' (her words, not mine) in her enormous backyard that also, has an enormous pool (I already mentioned they were filthy rich, right?). Lizzie's phone went off with that annoying ringtone that Hope, and I have been bugging her to change. She huffed in annoyance and reached out to her phone to check what notification feels important enough to interrupt her tanning session.

Her face contorts in disgust. "Eww! Perv!" 

"Hey, Josie! guess what Jed texted the entire school!" She giggled at the insults that were already brewing in her mind. After no response, she sat up straight in her lawn chair and took her sunglasses off.

_ Where is she? _

"Josie?" She looked around her background, confused until she was startled by loud wet stomps and me, yelling at the top of my lungs.

"GERONIMOOO!"

I ran as fast as my feet could take me as I jumped off their five-story house and landed with a big splash in their colossal pool.

The sharpness and coldness of the water left my thighs red and burning, but I couldn't feel the pain thanks to the adrenaline rushing through my veins. I gasped up for air and couldn't stop laughing, as Lizzie glared at me with the signature Mikaelson-Forbes death glare. (I'm sure that the death glare that runs in this family has literally killed people before).

"What?" I naively asked.

"You got me all wet!" She gritted through her teeth.

"Oh, don't get your panties in a twist," I snarky replied back. She rolled her eyes, but eventually, I saw her grinning again. 

"Ok, fine, I'm willing to forgive that, but I need to ask you something." She smiled.

"Ok, I'm listening," I swam to the edge of the pool and slicked back my hair.

"No," she groaned, "Here," she patted the lawn chair right next to me. I got out of the pool and lazily draped myself across the lawn chair, making my best friend erupt in a fit of giggles. I dumbly smiled.

"So!" She excitedly started off, "Tomorrow, on the first day of school, the student council is expecting our show choir’s idea for the fall fundraiser event."

I sighed, "We're gonna be in trouble if we don't come up with something fast." We both groan in unison. 

Lizzie begins to ramble on, brainstorming ideas that we both know are just plain terrible. Eventually, I stopped listening because I couldn't keep my eyes off of Hope, who decided to stroll in only wearing tight shorts and bikini top, exposing her pale abs and toned muscles.

Ok, there's no more denying it, Hope is STUPID hot. But Lizzie and I developed a list of friendship rules, in which rule nine specifically states, "relatives of your best friend are totally OFF-limits." This rule is seriously important to Lizzie, I guess it comes from all the pent-up trauma of years living in Hope's shadow (to be specific, Hope's varsity, quarter-back, captain of the flag-football team shadow). I mean, it's not like Lizzie being section-leader of the Sopranos and assistant-choreographer for our show choir really...casts a shadow over anyone?

"Lizzie!" Hope hollered. Lizzie is startled again and looks up at her older sister with a look of annoyance already plastered on her face. "Have you seen my knee pads?"

"Of course I did, asshat," She chuckled as she got up and started walking towards Hope, her voice laced with sarcasm, "I needed it for all those varsity sports I'm constantly playing." Hope rolled her eyes and Lizzie and I burst into a fit of giggles.

"Hey, Jo-Jo," Hope devilishly smirked. She knows I HATE it when people (other than my mom) call me that.

"Good afternoon, Ms.Mikaelson-Forbes," I replied with feigned confidence. I know she HATES being referred to as her last name.

_ Two can play at that game. _

I beamed back at her when she huffed in annoyance.

"So..” She playfully trailed off, “When did you get the boobs?" She pointed at my chest lamely, and was practically LEERING. And Lizzie has the audacity to start chuckling?

"When you were away at flag-football camp, learning to be a better asshat," Lizzie amusedly replied for me. 

"It was almost like she was on human growth hormones or something!" Lizzie balked, and they both began to boisterously laugh in unison, while I was sitting there, red as a tomato.

"Hey!" I lamely shouted as they kept laughing, "Lizzie! Rule number 2, please!" I whined, almost desperately.

**_Rule 2:_ ** _ "Never share our secrets with anyone else." _

"Whatever, Listen," Hope commanded, before Lizzie had a chance to respond to me, "M and D are out of town Friday night, so party starts at eight."

"Don't invite any jackasses," she warned Lizzie. She began walking away when Lizzie threw another petty remark at her.

"Does that include you?" Hope halted in her steps as Lizzie turned around to look at me. We paused, then started to obnoxiously guffaw (on purpose, of course). With Lizzie's back turned to Hope, Hope seized the opportunity and picked up a rubber football conveniently lying around on the floor. She threw it with her quarter-back arms straight into Lizzie's back, sending her flailing into the pool.

"Arghh!" She screamed as she fell into her impending doom. At this point, I was practically snorting and holding my stomach due to the pain from laughing so hard (the Mikaelson-Forbes tend to have that effect on me). Lizzie gasped for air out of the pool, just in time to see Hope flip her off with her back turned, walking away like the badass she is.

"What an ass!" Lizzie yelled just loud enough for Hope to still hear it.

"I know, right?" I dreamily sighed as I was practically ogling, staring at Hopes behind (sometimes I forget how to hide it…sorry not sorry).

"Hey, hey, hey!" Lizzie rushed out of the pool, accusedly pointing at me, "rule number 9, young lady!" She sternly chastised me.

"Oh, come on!" I whined. 

Lizzie still didn't believe me. 

I tried again.

"As if!" I exasperated as if it would be something gross, to be with _ the _ Hope Mikaelson-Forbes.

"Yeah," She scoffed in disbelief, "Well, it looks like you got a little something right there?" She began pointing to the corner of my mouth.

"Where? Where!" I started panicking (but kept a relaxed, calm demeanor...I think?)

Was there something on my face the whole time while Hope was here?!

"Drool." She deadpanned.

My face dropped. "Oh,  _ do I? _ " I raised my eyebrows and she laughed at me, "Do I really?" I grabbed a soccer ball hiding under my chair and threw it at Lizzie with all the strength my noodle arms could muster.

"Arghh!" She shrieked for the second time today, as she fell face-first into the pool.

She gasped for air as we both started giggling. 

“I keep forgetting you’re scrawnier than me!” I cackled.

“Oh, shut up!” She sassily replied. 

Eventually, she got over the fact that she was pushed into the pool twice, and started to swim around the large body of water, still brainstorming ideas for the damn fundraiser. I joined her, and desperate to change to conversation, challenged her to a breath-holding contest. I probably shouldn’t have though, since the Mikaelson-Forbes are also infamously known for being crazy competitive (part of the reason why Hope is captain of the football team as a junior and Lizzie is a section-leader as a sophomore). But truthfully, they’re both naturally born leaders.

Still, I couldn’t help it, and decided to let Lizzie win as to avoid her whiny sulking for the rest of the day. Later on, we cleaned up, made some popcorn, snuggled under some blankets and put on a cheesy movie (for Lizzie, not me of course). Hope even joined us, but only because she ‘has nothing better to do,’ but I knew she was lying. They both fell asleep 30 minutes into the movie, and I decided it was getting late so I left a short text for Lizzie and rode my bike home, enjoying the fleeting smell of grass and trees and the calming street lights.

_ Maybe this year won't be suck so bad after all? _

  
  
  



	2. What A Great Start to the Year!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ok so I lied last chapter, Chapter 2 and onward will be a lot longer.   
> 4/5 scenes per chapter! (yay!) 
> 
> TRIGGER WARNING: Catcalling, mild sexual assault, slight victim-blaming

Chapter 2: What A Great Start to the Year!

  
The loud honking of Lizzie's Camaro made the ground of my small house (or "tiny cottage," as Hope puts it) shake with tremors. Every beep of her car made my anxiety grow and grow as it finally dawned on me...

_ First day of Junior year... _

I smiled at the thought as I straightened the collar of my white button-up shirt in the mirror. It was under my yellow vest that had the signature blue "S" embroidered in the right corner. Planning my school outfit the night before did help (thank god Lizzie reminded me last night). Still, did it negate the fact that I completely forgot to order new uniforms this year? No, it did not.

My plaid skirt felt a little tight... Okay, that's a lie. It felt extremely tight like my legs were being suffocated, and my waist was slowly losing its blood flow. But it didn't really matter in the grand scheme of things because if I waste any more time worrying about my uniform, we're going to be late, and Lizzie will definitely murder me if I make us late on the first day.

**_HONK! HONK!_ **

_ Okay, I should seriously focus… _

I took a sneak peek at the alarm clock next to my bed.

_ 7:23.  _

_ Shit. _

I quickly reached down to grab my backpack and then…the inevitable came. A loud rip echoed through my room, leaving my ears burning from the offending sound.

"Oh, crap!" I instantly turned, assessing the damage. The rip extended from the top of my skirt to below my bottom, effectively exposing the whites of my underwear.

"Are you freaking kidding me?" I groaned in utter annoyance.

I rushed to my closet, finding shirts, vests, ties, and literally everything BUT pants or skirts.

"Hey, dad!" I yelled, "Where are the other pairs of skirts? I can't find anything!"

"They're at the cleaners!" He yelled back.

_ Shit. _

At this point, I was frantically throwing all of the useless shirts and vests out of the way, hoping for just. one. skirt. But there was nothing! Nada, zip, zilch-

**_HONK! HONK!_ **

I jumped and started quietly, muttering to myself, "Crap, crap, crap, crap…"

Then all of a sudden, a miracle occurred. A black skirt was bestowed upon me by what I can only assume was God himself (praise the lord). I threw it on, not caring about how tight or short it was and raced down the steps.

I fast-walked to the kitchen table, pulling my skirt down every other step of the way.

"Okay…" I began, "Good morning, guys!" I said to my oblivious father and golden retriever, Max, who was eating what sort of looked like my breakfast.

He put his newspaper down and tapped the top of its head, "Bad boy," he warned, trying to sound threatening, but failing to no extent.

Max hopped off the chair with a whine.

"Morning, honey! You can have the remains of this waffle if you don't mind dog spi-" 

He interrupted himself once he spotted the skirt I was wearing (or the lack of skirt, to be fair). He immediately frowned and looked at me with a questioning stare. 

"Josie…" He cautioned.

I countered before he even started, "Dad, my skirt ripped. This is literally all I had left."

"Alright…I guess I could swing by the cleaners...drop em' off at school." He sighed in defeat.

"Really?" I asked, hopefully. He solemnly nodded in response.

"Oh my god, thank you, thank you, thank you!" I bolted to him and wrapped my arms around him, leaving him chuckling as he hugged me back.

**_HONK! HONK! HONK! HONK! HO-_ **

"Okay, I should go now," I said, wincing, holding my ears. I grabbed a waffle (one that Max did not help himself to) and hurriedly walked out of the front door.

"Bye! Love you," I called out and waited for his response before closing the door behind me and walking to Lizzie's car, quickly shoving the waffle down my throat since Lizzie has a strict 'no-eating' policy.

_ ♪ 'Cause honey, I'm with you. ♪ _

Lizzie was staring off into space, already annoyed so early in the morning. Once she heard my steps, she snapped her head in my direction, opening her mouth for what was probably going to be another classic Lizzie scolding...that is, until she saw my skirt.

Her face morphed from anger, to confused, to amused all in less than 10 seconds. 

"Don't you dare say anything!" I hissed intimidatingly but clearly failed miserably as she burst into a fit of giggles (I don't know if you can tell yet, but the Saltzmans are very non-threatening people, despite how hard we try).

I got into her car, waiting for her laughter to die down before giving her an explanation.

"My skirt ripped, okay?" I murmured, looking at her to see that annoying grin she wears when she wants to make fun of me.

"You should have back-ups." She stated matter-of-factly.

"My back-ups are at the cleaners, for your information."

"What about your back-up back-ups?" She retorted fast.

"These ARE my back-up back-ups!" I bellowed, just as fast.

"Okay, okay!" She put her hands up in defeat, still smiling in a very annoying way.

"Come on, let's go already." I frustratingly pushed her shoulder.

"Alright, I'm trying!" She began fumbling with the keys, laughing at me, and I seriously considered smacking her upside the head (but unfortunately, I didn't...this time).

She began slowly driving out of my neighborhood when she muttered quietly, but still loud enough for me to even hear it, "Seriously though, cover-up, like I'm trying to drive here and-" and then I did it, I smacked her upside the head. 

"You're so annoying," I sighed as she kept laughing, but eventually, I joined her.

\----

As we pulled up to the Salvatore school, or better said, almost crashed into the Salvatore school, Lizzie parked into someone else's parking spot where we spotted Hope flirting with a random girl. We both ignored it, or more like Lizzie ignored it, and I pretended to not be bothered by it.

"Nice landing, ace," I sarcastically told Lizzie after she turned off her car.

"Yeah, well," she reached over to grab her backpack, "If you got your driving license, you wouldn't have to put up with my driving, now would you?" She playfully answered back. 

I should have known not to be sarcastic with the queen of sarcasm.

"Okay, but why would I do that when I have you as my personal chauffeur?" I smiled.

"Hmm...True, true." She relented. As we both were about to get out of her car, she abruptly grabbed my arm, successfully halting me from leaving.

"Wait!" Lizzie blurted, "today...Fundraiser ideas?" She raised her eyebrows as if to warn me that I have no choice but to answer 'yes.'

"Ugh..fine," I sighed while she did a fist pump and mouthed a silent 'yes' in victory. We stepped out of her car and began our slow stroll to the building entrance, when Lizzie acutely noticed whispering and weird stares, especially from the school's male population. 

I was utterly oblivious to it because no one has ever really paid attention to me (unless it has something to do with Lizzie's sister, who  _ everyone _ pays attention to).

Then, we started to hear whistling, and some guys even started barking catcalls at us? (and I know for sure it was us because I turned around to see if any hot girls were walking behind us, but...there was nobody?)

"Hey...I think everybody is looking at us?" Lizzie bemused, and then all of a sudden, a look of understanding washed over her face.

"Allow me to revise, everyone is looking at you." She deadpanned.

"Yo, I think that's Josie Saltzman!" One kid exclaimed loud enough for everyone to hear, and the crowd began to grow out of control.

Huh? This must be a dream. Somebody pinch me?

"No, they're not!" I whisper-shouted in denial, but it became apparent they were as I heard boys fake-moaning my name, automatically making me cringe in disgust. Even some girls were whooping! (which I'm not completely mad about…)

"Jo," Lizzie stopped us in the middle of our walk, hands on my shoulder. 

"You are aware that your…lady shape has sort of changed over the summer, right?" 

Which brought me back to yesterday, when Hope commented that I've suddenly 'grown boobs,' and it dawned on me. My skirt literally ripped because it was too tight this morning, my back-up back-ups are from the summer before ninth grade...

_ Ohhhh. It all makes sense now. _

I even spotted Hope in the corner. Albeit she was frowning, she was also paying zero attention to the blonde in front of her, who then seemed to be frustrated that Hope didn't hear a word she said. 

And just like that, I went from the most embarrassed to the most confident girl in school.

"Well, let them stare!" I said proudly as I grabbed Lizzie's hand and kept walking towards the entrance. Suddenly, I felt a warm hand smack the underside of my ass, causing me to gasp loudly and for Lizzie and me to quickly turn around. At the same time, the other kids surrounding us started whooping even louder, leaving me with an unexplainable feeling in my chest.

"What the hell, Penelope?" Lizzie shouted with anger as she stepped in front of me, protectively. The other kids kept leering and catcalling at us while screaming for Penelope, leaving her with a cocky grin.

All of a sudden, I felt so small.

"Uhm," I stuttered, "Lizzie, it's fine...I-I got this," I hesitated, my voice high for some reason. The mob of teens were practically jeering at me, which ultimately made me look down at my shoes self-consciously.

"Yeah, what nice-ass said, relax Lizzie  _ the loser _ ," Penelope emphasized the last words, causing the group of students surrounding us to erupt into laughter. I was red from embarrassment, but Lizzie, on the other hand, was red from fury.

"How about I relax your face?" She called out. The flock of students  _ "ooo'd" _ at her response.

"Lizzie, calm dow-" before I could finish my sentence, Lizzie was already swinging (and missing every single punch). 

Eventually, Penelope caught one of her fists with her right arm, twisted it into a very unnatural angle leaving Lizzie groaning in pain and the swarm of hormones yelling Penelope's name. 

Maybe she shouldn't have tried to fight someone on the best flag-football team in the state?

"I did not think this through…" She grumbled to herself. 

Penelope pulled her left arm back, and right before she was about to land a punch on Lizzie's nose, Hope came out of nowhere and toppled Penelope over.

"Hope! Stop!" I started yelling repeatedly, but my voice's timidness couldn't be heard over the noise from the crowd. 

Hope, now on top of Penelope, landed every single hit with a ferociousness that frankly... _ scared me _ . I didn't give up, though. I kept screaming at her to stop while the crowds cheers grew louder, when out of nowhere, Principal Vardemus yanked Hope off of Penelope with ease (she is like, 5'2 to be fair). He then picked up Penelope, some of her blood landing on his hand.

"Knock it off, knock it off!" He yelled, trying to get them to stop charging at each other. Eventually, the mass of teenagers dispersed, not wanting to get in trouble for encouraging fights.

"You three, in my office," He angrily declared (but honestly, nobody can really take him seriously with that British accent anyways).

"Me?" I asked incredulously.

"Now!" He shouted as he shoved both Penelope and Hope towards the direction of the building entrance, and they began to stubbornly walk inside the building.

The bell rang, signifying the other students who still haven't left the scene to finally stop eavesdropping and go to class. 

_ What an amazing start to the year. _

I began walking inside the building, with Lizzie trailing behind me, muttering quietly to herself, "Asshat!" I turned to look at her.

"She even gets credits for my fights!" She flailed her arms exaggeratingly.

I rolled my eyes.

  
  


\----

The only thing that could be heard from the principal's office for miles was my foot's incessant tapping. My anxiety was steadily building, and I couldn't help it! I had never been in trouble before.

But what truly irritated me, ground my gears all the way down to the core, is that Hope was wholeheartedly unaffected by everything! She was sitting beside me, tapping away on her phone, texting God knows what girl she was trying to score at. 

"Why did you do that?" I fumed at her, unintentionally aiming all of my frustrations at her.

There was a slight pause in Hope's movements, probably out of surprise, but she continued tapping her thumbs to dust as if she didn't hear me.

"Lizzie was in trouble," she monotonously replied. I scoffed.

"Any excuse for a fight, right?" I turned away, not even being able to look at her indifferent expression anymore.

"I don't  _ start _ fights, okay?" Hope turned to me, causing me to gaze into her icy blue eyes, "I only finish them." She smirked, and then looked back down at her phone. 

Wow, she couldn't even resist stroking her own ego right now?  _ Unbelievable! _

"Besides, nobody should ever treat a girl that way...especially if that girl is you."

Okay, I couldn't help it. I know she was totally a jack-ass all morning, but I couldn't stop myself from swooning.

"Me?" I asked, with a small voice, butterflies waging a war in my stomach

"Yeah, I mean, it's like those people are trying to get into my little sister's pants...which is  _ super gross _ ." She scrunched her eyebrows in disgust as she looked back down at her phone, already distracted with what was on her screen.

Moment ruined.

Nothing like hearing your childhood crush saying it's super gross in your pants, right? I sighed as I started to stare off into space, less anxious than before, when Hope abruptly put her phone down and turned to me.

"You know, you have like, zero experience with relationships. You've never even had a boyfriend before." She stated in disbelief.

I stared at her dumbly, waiting for her to continue.

"...And your point is?" I looked at her, waiting for her to finish…(gosh, I sincerely hope there's more, and that wasn't all she had to say).

"Well...Wearing a skirt like that is basically asking for it!" She exclaimed. 

My cheeks flared with anger, and that familiar nerve-wracking feeling from before was rising up again.

But this time, I knew what to say.

"Seriously?" I seethed, "You wanna go down that road?" I blustered at her, causing her to slightly flinch.

Eyes wide, she looked at me for what felt like forever, and then laughed (her laugh is  _ soo  _ cute by the way).

"Nah, I kinda just played out the whole internalized-sexist conversation in my head," she smiled amusedly, "and it always ended with me sounding like an asshole." 

Okay, that was pretty funny, but I didn't want to give Hope that satisfaction. So I rolled my eyes and looked away. 

I couldn't help the smile stuck on my face, though.

Then, the door swung open, with Principal Vardemus holding the door for Penelope, whose bruised face and bloodied lip seemed to look considerably worse than before. She walked out of the office, but not before sending me a longing look that seriously confused the hell out of me. I didn't notice Hope sending her a death glare, that Penelope decided not to acknowledge or respond to (probably because she just got a wonderful beat down).

"Miss Saltzman?" He posed the question like I had a choice, holding the door open for me. I slowly raised from my seat and walked over to his office, all of the previous anxiety that I forgot about, flooding into my body once again.

\----

The continual tapping of my foot began once more, (something I tend to do when nervous), but Vardemus shot me a look that frightened me, so I stopped immediately.

He was sitting across from me, in his gigantic office chair that honestly looked like a throne. To be honest, his entire office looked like a room in a luxurious castle (but I didn't comment on any of this to him). 

I also just realized this is my first time ever being in here. Like,  _ ever. _

_ Shit. Shit. Shit! _

I couldn't help the oncoming panic attack. It's not like me to be one of those kids that get sent to the principal's office for doing something  _ bad!... _ or something...

"First off, I want to start with the most obvious offense," He took off his round-frame glasses and gave me a look of disappointment. Regardless, I kept my back straight and looked him straight in the eyes, hoping that I at least seemed a little confident (but I couldn't help the occasional nervous lip quiver).

"That skirt," he paused, looking at it again and wincing, "...is absolutely ridiculous!" He exclaimed, with a slight blush that I had every right to ignore.

"My skirt ripped this morning! It's all I had!" I silently shouted.

"Well," He sighed, "What about your back-ups?"

_ Seriously? _

"Dry cleaners," I dryly responded, tired of explaining my predicament for the third...fourth time today?

"What about your back-up back-ups?" He quickly retorted.

"These ARE my back-up back-ups!" I actually shouted this time.

"Alright!" He put his hands up in defeat, "No need to get upset…"

"I am upset!" I continued, "...girl touched my lady bump." I sighed dejectedly, with an uncontrollable pout on my face.

Principal Vardemus loudly cleared his throat, with that stupid fricking blush back on his face.

"And Miss Parks will be properly punished, I guarantee you that. We do not condone sexual assault at the Salvatore School." He said with a reassuring nod.

I stopped pouting, but I couldn't wipe the frown off my face.

"Unfortunately…" He kept talking, "I still must punish you." 

"Oh, crap!" I accidentally said out loud, "Am I..Am I being expelled?" I stuttered out. 

I can't be expelled because if I'm expelled, I can't go to college and if I can't go to college then I can't get a job, and then I'll end up homeless and then-

"You're not being expelled, Josette." He rudely interrupted my thoughts.

"I've never been in trouble before!" I started jittering again, suddenly my hands were clammy, and I felt sweat forming on my forehead. "it's so hot in here... It's sweating! I mean I'm sweatin-"

"Josette!" 

"What?" I entreated. 

"You only broke the dress code, that's all. Okay?" He reassured me as he starts to grab a pink slip and put on those stupid glasses again.

"Detention tomorrow." He finally declared as he began quickly writing on the pink slip.

I let out a massive sigh of relief. Suddenly, my shoulders felt less burdensome, and I didn't have the urge to cry anymore? Strange, but I'm not questioning my luck today.

He handed me the pink slip, and I hesitantly took it out of his hand. He muttered out what I assumed was a dismissal, but I didn't really care if it was or wasn’t. I gladly left his office, sending Hope a hopeful glance, but that damn phone seemed so exciting to her that she didn’t even notice I opened the door. 

_ She doesn't notice you. She doesn't care about you. She didn't even get in that fight today because somebody basically sexually assaulted you. _

I morbidly chuckled.

_ She cares more about that phone than you. _

And just like that, I was furious again, and I stormed out of the lobby.

What I didn't see though, was Hope staring at me the entire time I was walking away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so, I’m still getting used to ao3’s tagging system, but I think I finally know how to navigate this site fully! Gave the story an actual rating and put more specific tags. Excited to see where this story takes us :)
> 
> Comments are appreciated :)

**Author's Note:**

> I know the beginning of the chapter is super similar to the movie, but I plan for it to be more original onwards (all while still following major plot points of course).
> 
> Comments are appreciated! :)


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